"That in Aleppo Once..." is Vladimir Nabokov's short story about adultery, jealousy, and remorse in the war-torn France of 1940.

The story is written in the form of a letter directed to the narrator's friend, named 'V,' whose address was provided by an old, mutual friend. The narrator is writing to tell V that he is also now living in New York City. He proceeds to tell V some of the events that have occurred, since they were last together as young writers in France.

The narrator begins by telling V of his marriage a month after V left France in 1940. The narrator has the marriage documents but no other proof that his wife ever existed. He now views his relationship with her as if she were a character in one of V's stories. The narrator continues by saying that he held no real emotional...